Norway Cup

BRINGING SPORT AND CULTURE TOGETHER AT THE LARGEST FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT IN THE WORLD

By bringing different countries from different cultures together to play football, the Norway Cup promotes positive values and creates new friendships.

Location

Oslo (Norway)

Organisation

Norway Cup – Bækkelagets Sportsklub

Start-end date

1972 – ongoing

Target group age

10-19 years old

Reach

30,000 children and youth every year (ages 10-19 years)

Partners

Participating teams, Norwegian national and local governments, national newspaper Dagbladet, multiple charities and sponsors

Key facts

In 2013, 1,450 teams from 55 nations participated who stayed at 31 schools and 13 hotels. There were 400 referees – 100 of which foreign – and 80 observers. Matches were played simultaneously on 65 fields.

SUMMARY

The Norway Cup is the world’s largest football tournament for boys and girls from 10-19 years of age. It was hosted for the first time in 1972 and takes place every year. On average, over 1,450 teams from over 50 nations participate every year. Bringing different countries from different cultures together to play football, the tournament contributes to creating an enabling environment for cultural integration and friendship with great experience among the participants. In addition, the Norway Cup invites children, who come from parts of the world where participating in a football tournament is not a part of everyday life.

KEYS TO SUCCESS

Cooperation with partners

The Norway Cup has a long tradition when it comes to cooperating with important value-oriented organisations and charities. Many institutions contribute to the Norway Cup’s value profile either by supporting the tournament or by providing support in bringing teams to Norway.

Strong volunteer commitment

The statistics show that more than 1,000 of the 2,000 members of the organising club, as well as 300 parents/close family members, work as volunteers each year. Their efforts amount to over 45,000 volunteer hours every year.

A cultural festival

Cultural exchange is a big part of the Norway Cup and various activities are organised. Marking the opening of the tournament is the Norway Cup Show with popular international and Norwegian artists, which always starts with a colourful parade. The parade is headed by mounted police, flag poles, a marching band and followed by the Norway Cup participants wearing their team jerseys. On the cultural stage, participating teams who have signed up can express their culture with song, dance and other entertainment elements.

Norway Cup – Bækkelagets Sportsklub

SPORT FOR ALL OBJECTIVES

Foster Olympic legacy

The programme aims to promote lasting values that are at the heart of the Olympic Games: peace, respect, fair play and friendship. Often participants are taught to become “friendship coaches” so that they can be good role models for other young people. In 2012, the “Handshake for Peace”, a special handshake between the referee and the team captains after the match, was introduced for the first time at the Norway Cup. This Norwegian concept is the result of the cooperation between the Nobel Peace Centre and the Norwegian Football Association and has now also been introduced by FIFA at their own events.

Provide equal access to sport

Through the Norway Cup, awareness is raised on cultural integration and other social issues such as combating racism and discrimination. For the invited teams from disadvantaged areas in the world, the Norway Cup is an experience unlike any other and offers the participants the opportunity to interact with other cultures and create new friendships.

HOW IS THE PROGRAMME COMMUNICATED?

Various communication channels are used to promote the tournament. Invitations are sent out to clubs and organisations throughout the world and supported by announcements on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, You Tube, the event’s website, and PR-trips around Norway.

HOW IS THE PROGRAMME EVALUATED?

The programme is evaluated through an internal evaluation every year. An external evaluation takes place every 3 to 4 years.